Game apparatus



A. OBODZINSKI GAME APPARATUS Oct. 5, 1937.

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Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES T OFFIQE m re GAME APPARATUSApplication February 7, 1935, Serial No. 5,455

, 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an amusement or game apparatus.

There are at present, on the market, numerous amusement devices of thetype wherein a plurality of balls are individually projected on to aplaying field or surface provided with zones or pockets into which theplayer attempts to deposit the balls. In order that such games may beindulged in by two or more players, said zones, pockets or other areaseach have a certain scoring value and the player who deposits the ballsin the zones having the highest combined scoring value is the winner.

One object is to provide a game or amusement apparatus of this generaltype wherein the scoring value of the zones or pockets entered by theballs is translated, so to speak, into tokens which may be used in tradein the establishment in which the particular apparatus is installed.

A further object is to provide such a game apparatus with a tokenejecting mechanism so constructed and combined with the scoring zones ofthe playing field as to require a player to propel two balls into a pairof zones to render the I 25 ejecting mechanism operative. For instance,in

the present apparatus the playing field is pro- 7 vided with sixopenings and six balls are played on to the field. If two balls enter acertain pair of openings, four tokens will be ejected; if a secondcertain pair of openings are entered by two balls, eight tokens will bescored or ejected; and if the third pair of openings are entered, twentytokens will be the resultant score, the highest score that can possiblybe attained.

Another object is to provide a novel arrangement for collecting theballs after each player has played the entire set and delivering saidballs to the propelling plunger for the next player.

As above indicated, the invention also con- 40 templates an ejectingmechanism of special con struction, in that it is necessary for theplayer to deposit balls in a certain pair of pockets or zones before anyone of the ejecting members of said mechanism will be released to ejectthe 4.5 merchandise or tokens.

A still further object is to provide a simple, durable mechanism'foractuating a series of ejector members by the projectiles used in playingthe game.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certaindetails of construc- Another object is the provision of novel meshtionand combinations and. arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter bemore fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointedout in the appended claims;

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a top plan view illustratingthe playing field and, more or less diagrammatically, the plunger withwhich the player propels the balls;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken horizontally through the machine at apoint immediately below the playing field for the purpose ofillustrating a portion of the return ways for balls deposited in thescoring zones by a player;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional View on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view in a planesubstantially coinciding with the longitudinal center of the ejectingmechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail, vertical sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a similar view on line l-'-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspectiveof one of the ejector slides with aportion of its operating connections; I

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a bail-like connector for operativelyconnecting two of the ejector slides;

Fig. 11 is a transverse, vertical section taken near the front of themachine in a plane intersecting the tube through which the balls areconveyed from their normal storage receptacle to theplunger for playing;

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical section on line l2-I2 of Fig. 11; v I

Fig. 13 is a detail vertical section through the lower end of said balldelivery tube;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view on line I l-l4 of Fig. 13; V

Fig. 15 is a similar view on line l5l5 of Fig. 13; and 1 Fig. 16 is adetail perspective of the lower extremity of the ball deliveringinstrument.

In the present embodiment of the invention; the playing field 20, whichis enclosed within a casing 2! having a glass top 22, fully exposingsaid field, is provided with seven openings, 23, 23 24, 24 25, 25 and 26and, if desired,

a plurality of pins 21, .or other obstacles are arranged on said fieldtodeflect the balls as they roll on the field and thus render it moredif ficult for said balls to drop into the scoring openings. At one sideof the playing field there is a barrier or partition 28 forming a runway29 along which the balls may be projected by means of a plunger 35 whichthe player retracts against a spring 3|, all as is well understood.Immediately below the playing field there is a horizontal partition 32on which are formed guideways 33, 34 and 35, alined with the severalscoring openings, ways 33 being adapted to receive balls falling intoopenings 23, 23 ways 34 receiving balls deposited in openings 24, 24 andways 35 receiving balls falling through openings 25, 25 These severalWays conduct balls falling therein to tubes which depend from partition32, each way 33 leading to one of a pair of tubes 43 and ways 24, 25,similarly leading to tubes 44, 45, respectively. Balls falling throughsaid tubes will affect the ejecting mechanism as will be laterdescribed.

The ejecting mechanism comprises a plurality of ejecting slidescorresponding to the number of pairs of scoring holes or zones in theplaying field. In the present instance there are three slides, asindicated at 53, 54, 55, and said slides are connected to lockingplates, 63, 64, 65, respectively. Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and5, the several slides are shown in locked position, i. e., the positionthey occupy at the time the apparatus is put into play. This isaccomplished. by the player placing one of the tokens used in themachine in a slide 36 of a coin-controlled device at the front of themachine and pressing said slide into the casing.

locking plates to take the positions shown in said Fig. 5, inwhich theywill be locked by looking pins 13, I4, 15, there being two locking pinsfor each locking plate. When the ejector slides are moved to thisposition, springs 46 attached to said slides are placed under tension sothat, upon disengagement of one or more pairs of locking pins from theirlocking plate, the corresponding ejector or ejectors will return totheir original positions. The locking pins are preferably yieldinglyheld in looking position by leaf springs 82 engaging recesses in theside surfaces thereofJ Where tokens are to be ejected, the severalslides are formed with openings therein adapted to register with eachother and with a token tube 48 when the ejectors are in advancedposition (Fig. but with a till 49 when the ejectors are released andretracted. It Will be observed that ejector 53 is of a thicknesscorresponding to four tokens; and ejectors 54, 55, accommodate eighteach, so that if ejector 53 is released, four tokens will be ejected;twelve will be ejected if ejectors 53 and 55 are released; and twentywill be ejected if all three ejectors are released.

For this reason, mechanism operable by balls falling into tubes 43, 44and [i5 is so associated with said ejector plate locking pins that ifballs enter both of holes 23 and 23 on the playing field (and tubes 43),ejector plate 53 and m Lever 38 is pivotally ejector 53 will bereleased; if balls enter both of holes 24 and 24 (and tubes =34),ejector plate 64 and its ejector 54, together with ejector 53, will bereleased; and if balls enter both of holes 25 and 25 all three ejectorswill be released. This mechanism comprises cross pins 50, 5!, 52,mounted in side members 55 at opposite sides of the looking plates andbell crank levers 83, 83 pivoted on pin 50; levers 84, 8%, on pin 5|,and levers 85, 35 on pin 52. One arm of each of levers 53, 83 projectsinto tubes 33; arms of levers 85, 55 extend into tubes 44 and arms oflevers 85, 85 extend into tubes 45. The other arms of levers 83, 83*,extend downwardly of the locking plates and at their lower extremitiesare formed with slots 5'! through which pins 58 project, said pins beingmounted on the lower extremities of depending arms of bell crank levers55 on said cross pin 55. The other arms of bell crank levers 59 arereceived in openings 55 in looking pins i3. In similar fashion, bellcrank levers 55, 34 have depending arms slotted at their lowerextremities to receive pins 55 on the arms of levers 55 journaled oncross pin 5| and provided with arms engaging in openings 65 in lookingpins 14. Levers 85, 85 are likewise formed with slotted depending armsadapted to receive pins 58 on arms of bell crank levers 55 pivoted oncross pins 52 and whose other arms extend into openings 55 in lockingpins 1'5. To connect the several sets of levers together, for individualor simultaneous rocking, the arms of levers 84, 84 projecting into tubes44 are provided with pins 84 projecting over and adapted to depress thecorresponding arms of levers 83, 83 when said arms 84, te are depressedby balls dropping into tubes 44, and connecting bars 6i mounted on pins58? of levers 85, 85 are provided with slots 82 in which are receivedpins 58, 53 of levers 83, 83 84 and 84 the length of slots 52 beingsufficient to permit levers 83, 83 84, 34 to actuate pins 13, 14,without moving said connector bars a distance as would afiect lockingpins 15. In other words, if a player deposits two balls in pockets oropenings 23, said balls falling into tubes 43 will depress levers 83, 83and rock levers 59 to raise locking pins ?3 and release plate 53 so thatejector 53 will be retracted by springs 46, the tokens in the cavity insaid ejector dropping into till 49. should enter openings 2 and dropdown tubes 44, their impact against levers 84, 84 would depress thelatter and rock levers 55 to raise locking pins 14 and release plate 55and ejector 54. If ejector 53 had not been previously released, therocking of levers 34, 84 would also depress levers 83, 83*, by reason ofprojections 84 so that pins i3 would also be raised to release plate 53and ejector 53, with the result that the twelve tokens (four in ejector53 and eight in ejector 54) would be discharged into the till. However,if ejector 53 had been previously released only the eight tokens ofejector 54 would be discharged.

On the other hand, assuming that none of the three ejectors had beenreleased, if balls should enter both of openings 25, 25 and drop intotubes 45, levers 35, 85 will be depressed. This movement of said leverswill rock levers 59 and disengage pins F5 from plate 35 thus releasingejector 55. The rocking movement of levers 85, 85 and 59*, will alsoreciprocate connecting bars 5! carried by pins 53 and through pins 5858, rock levers 55 59 and release looking pins l3, 14, with the resultthat all three Likewise, if two balls 0 ejectors would be retracted andtwenty tokens discharged intothe till. Thus it will be seem that ifballs enter both openings 23 23 four tokens will be ejected; i fi ballsenterboth-openings- 24, 24 the result will be the equivalent of doublingthe score of openings 23, 23 in that eight tokens; will' 'be dischargedjand if balls enter both openings 25-, 25, the result will be five timesthe score of openings 23, 23 in that twenty tokens will be ejected. If.the balls fail to enter any of these six openings, they leave theplaying field through opening 25 which has no I scoring value.v

lever 40 is pivotally attached at its opposite end by a pin to a lever61 pivoted on cross pin 59 and formed with a laterally extending portion69 underlying the arms of levers 83, 83*, which extend into tubes 43.Pin H3 is carried by an arm 12 journaled on cross pin 52. When lever 40is actuated to reset the ejectors, the offset portion 69 of lever 61will rock levers 83, 83 and, in turn, levers 59 to depress locking pins13. Levers 83, 83 will also, by reason of projections 84? rock levers84, 84 which, in turn, will rock levers 59 to reset locking pins 14; andlevers 83, 83 through pins 58 and connector bars 6|, will also actuatelevers 85, 85 and 59 to reset locking pins 15.

The balls are normally stored in a reservoir 16 (Fig. 4). The lower endsof tubes 43, 44 and 45 are cut away so that balls dropping therein fallfrom the ends of the several rock levers into a tray 11 slightlyinclined and provided with an opening 18 in its lower end wall throughwhich said balls pass into a chute 19 leading to said reservoir. Ballsentering opening 26 in the playing field are delivered to the reservoirby a tube 80. When a player properly actuates the coin-controlled slide36, preliminary to playing a game, a link 8| connected to the inner endof said slide and an arm 86 of rock shaft 81 carrying a closure gate 88for said reservoir, rocks said shaft and gate, thereby permitting theballs to fall from the reservoir into a trough 89. Trough 89 extendstransversely of the casing beyond the reservoir to a vertical deliverytube 99, being slightly inclined so that the balls will roll down saidtrough into said delivery tube through which they are raised to aposition in front of the playing plunger39. The opposite walls of tube90 are slotted vertically as at 9| to accommodate a link 92 pivoted at93, capable of being swung on its pivotal center by an arm 94 oscillatedby a handle 95 at the exterior of the machine casing (Figs. 11 and 2).The free extremity of link 92 is provided with a pivoted finger 96 whichcan pass over a ball in tube 90 at the exit end of trough 89 duringdownward movement of the link, but which will move said ball upwardlythrough said tube when raised by arm 94.

The slots terminate just short of the upper end of tube 90 and thelatter is curved upwardly somewhat so that its upper portion is nearerpivotal center 93 of link 92. The intermediate portion of said linkwhich enters the upper portion of said tube is made of increased widthas at'9'l and recessed as at 9B, the inclined surface 99 formed on saidenlargement 91 assisting in elevating the ball, and the recessaccommodating the tube wall at the end of slot 9|.

A deflector N is formed on the upp'erend of tube 90 and a ball pushed upby link 92 will engage said deflector and be posltioned in front ofplaying plunger 39.

Briefly, the game is played in the followin manner. Assuming atoken hasbeen placed: in slide 39 and said slide has been pressed inward, lever40 will have set the several ejectors in locked position and the levers93, 83 84', 84 85 and 85 in elevated position, as illustrated in Fig. 3.The balls, shown in the reservoir in Fig. 4, will have also beenreleased by the tilting of gate 88- by link B-l and arm 85 (Fig. 3) sothat said balls will be positioned in trough 89 with the lower ballintube 99 (Figs. 14, The player then turns handle: 95 and finger 96 onlink 92 engages: behind the ball in said tube and raises While thepresent machine is adapted to score in terms of tokens used in renderingthe machine operative, this being the simplest form of apparatus, itwill be readily appreciated that other articles of merchandise may besubstituted for tokens in the tube 48 which supplies the ejectors.

What I claim is:

1. In a game apparatus, a plurality of pairs of ejector lockingelements, each pair of elements releasably holding an ejector againstoperation, movable actuating members for releasing said lockingelements, the elements of each pair being operable independently of eachother and conduits for directing projectiles against said members, theforce of the projectiles impacting against said members moving the sameto release the locking elements controlled thereby.

2. In a game apparatus, a plurality of looking elements for a series ofthree ejectors, actuating members for releasing said, locking elements,conduits for directing projectiles against said members, the force ofthe projectiles impacting against said members actuating the same torelease the locking elements controlled thereby, each actuating memberbeing operable independently of the other, and connections between saidactuating members for actuating a plurality of locking elementssimultaneously.

3. In a game apparatus, an ejector locking and releasing mechanismcomprising a series of superposed plates, a pin engaging each plate andholding the same against operation, a plurality of projectile conduits,a locking lever for each pin, each lever extending into one of saidconduits and adapted to be rocked by a projectile passing through saidconduit, the rocking movement of the levers disengaging their respectivepins from and releasing the corresponding plate.

4. In a game apparatus, an ejectorlocking and releasing mechanismcomprising a series of superposed plates, a pin engaging each plate andholding the same against operation, a plurality of projectile conduits,a locking lever for each pin, each lever extending into one of saidconduits and adapted to be rocked by a projectile passing through saidconduit, the rocking movement of the levers disengaging their respectivepinsfrom and releasing the corresponding plate, and a link connectingone of said levers to the remaining levers for rocking all of the leversupon actuation of the first-mentioned lever.

5. In a game apparatus, an ejector locking and releasing mechanismcomprising a series of super-- posed plates, one end of each plateprotruding beyond the plate next above it, said protruding ends and theuppermost plate having recesses in their upper surfaces, locking pinsengaging in said recesses for holding said plates against operation, arocking lever for each pin, and a series of conduits, each leverprojecting into one of said conduits whereby projectiles passing throughthe conduits will impact against said levers and rock the latter, therocking movements of said levers efiecting disengagement of said pinsfrom said plates.

6. In a game apparatus, an ejector locking and releasing mechanismcomprising a series of superposed plates, a locking pin engaging eachplate and holding the same against operation, a locking lever for eachpin, and means for directing projectiles against said levers for rockingthe latter, the rocking movement of the levers disengaging theirrespective pins and releasing the corresponding plate.

'7. In a game apparatus, an injector locking and releasing mechanismcomprising a series of superposed plates, a pin engaging each plate andholding the same against operation, a locking lever for each pin adaptedto be rocked by force applied thereto, the rocking movement of thelevers disengaging their respective pins from and releasing thecorresponding plates, and a link connecting one of said levers to theremaining levers for rocking all the levers upon actuation of thefirst-mentioned lever.

ANTON OBODZINSKI.

